How to Turn Off Password-Protected Sharing in Windows 11

Sharing files across local machines should be humble, yet in Windows 11, it typically isn’t. By default, Microsoft enabled password-preserved sharing, compeling you to get in login accuracies every time you fasten. Although protect, it’s problematic, specifically at home. Below, we’ll guide you doning how to turn off password-preserved sharing in Windows 11 and negotiate whether it’s well worth performing so.
Table of Textiles
- What Password-Secured Sharing Typicals
- Turning Off Password-Secured Sharing
- Threats of Turning It Off
- Wiser Selections for Sharing Documents
What Password-Secured Sharing Typicals
Password-preserved sharing is Windows 11’s default answer guard. It refers to as for anyone accessing your reciprocatory files, folders, or printers to get in a username and password.

It’s a brilliant default if you’re on public, work space, or reciprocatory networks, yet on a home network, it feels pick superfluous.
I’ve watched plenty of users, entailing myself, cripple it just to gain quick transmits less facility. Yet, that convenience offers you lose a layer of answer. As sweetly as maimed, anyone affixed to unmodified network can obtain proper into your reciprocatory files.
If you’re interested in closing down access in other medians, you can password-preserve folders or even mount disk-extent answer doning the UEFI BIOS.
Turning Off Password-Secured Sharing
Windows 11 doesn’t gain this placement obtrusive, since it would instead you intake OneDrive or cloud-based sharing. In reality, it still hides behind the legacy Manipulate Panel and Registry Editor instead than the Placements app. So, here’s how to implement it.
Utilising the Manipulate Panel
Amenable the Manipulate Panel by hunting for it in the Start menu. Then head to Network and Net -> Network and Sharing Core -> Variation proceeded sharing settings.

Scroll to the With one voice Networks segment, situate Password-preserved sharing, and pick Rotate off password-preserved sharing. Hit Save readjusts.

Tab: You’ll perfunctory admin civil liberties, so gain sure you’re logged in as one.
I’ve granted this perspective on my PC, and it’s a breeze, but Windows 11’s Manipulate Panel feels pick a relic compared to the Placements app.
Utilising the Registry Editor
If your settings keep altering or you just ache to permanently turn off password-preserved sharing, you can intake the cooperating doning computer system product registry penalty-tune.
Tab: Ensure that you ago upward your Registry in the past tweaking it.
Press Windows + R, type regedit
, and hit Go into.

Peruse to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlLsa
and package the top crispness documents of everyoneincludeanonymous to 1.

Next, go to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesLanmanServerParameters
and package restrictnullsessaccess to 0.

Threats of Turning It Off
Turning off password-preserved sharing in Windows 11 is workable yet unsafe. As sweetly as maimed, malware in the network could exploit responsive shares. Without certifications, anyone on your Wi-Fi can in a identical way access your reciprocatory folders.
I’ve watched compeers cheer this penalty-tune, only to situate their neighbor’s laptop computer system perusing their reciprocatory music folder since their Wi-Fi wasn’t locked down.
On a trusted home network, that might not bother you. Yet if your Wi-Fi is package to public, you’re mostly vacating the door unlocked for documents leaks. Microsoft package this on for a validation.
For stronger answer without relying on this amenity, weigh out other belied Windows answer amenities.
Wiser Selections for Sharing Documents
Previously you button off password answer, contemplate safer medians to share:
- You can incarnation a lessee account doning banned sanctions for reciprocatory access.
- An additional substitute is to intake OneDrive or Google Drive for quick documents transmits. They are included proper into Windows 11 and are much more protect.
- For cross-belvedere sharing, pick doning a Mac, you can mount folder-extent answer. Search through how to password-preserve folders on a Mac here.
The reality is that local network sharing hasn’t aged faultlessly. Microsoft hasn’t perfected it since the provider believes most users will certainly intake the cloud selections instead.
Turning off password-preserved sharing in Windows 11 implements gain things less facility on a noncombatant home network. Yet it’s not without threats. Directly, I only cripple it as sweetly as I perfunctory quick documents transmits, and re-permit it later. If you’ve tried these tweaks, share your thoughts in the remarks under.